The present invention relates essentially to a device for defacing by blurring or staining, valuable documents such as banknotes or bills.
It is also directed to case-like containers or boxes for automatic banknote dispensers fitted with this device for defacing etc.
The resistance of automatic banknote dispensers on public ways to burglary gives rise to substantial difficulties.
Nowadays not only burglars are attacking such appliances in an attempt to extract or remove therefrom the bill or cash boxes they contain but, more burglars are employing and more big building or works site rigs, machines or like equipment for dislodging, by "hammering blow or ramming strokes", the whole contrivance from the wall which it is secured or fastened. After having thus removed or withdrawn the apparatus. The burglars working in a hidden or concealed place, easily break the contrivance open to withdraw therefrom the cash boxes and the money therein.
Various solutions have been contemplated to cope with such an intolerable situation. In one solution after it is detected that there has been a breach of the container, the banknotes or other documents therein are rendered unusable or worthless for the thieves without destroying them completely in order that they be repayable or refundable by the Banque of France.
All the solutions however proposed until now for safes or strong-boxes, money-carrying bags or similar enclosures are dangerous and may not be suitable for bank bill dispenser which are relatively sophisticated apparatus.
Thus, currently known pyrotechnical solutions may be dangerous for the persons in the vicinity of the system and also may destroy the surroundings or environment of the system.
There are also complex mechanical solutions aimed at partially destroying the banknotes by perforating same. These complex systems generally require a good deal of power and when falsely started or set in operation during a handling thereof may provide to be dangerous for the operator. Moreover the system runs the risk of choking, stopping, blocking or clogging which is particularly awkward in the case of automatic banknote dispensers which, by themselves, are relatively complicated systems comprising sophisticated electronic equipment.
More recently chemical solutions have been devised which generally consist in using discoloring means such as smoke generators for blurring or staining the banknotes. These products however are likely to impair the environment, and in particular the electronic system in the container of a bank bill dispenser. Furthermore these chemical systems mark the banknotes on their cut edges only, i.e. very locally.